Chapter 163: 162. Professional Development of an Insider
Li Yinuo gave Wang Bingxu a signal with her eyes, and the four of them returned to the crowd together.
In terms of closeness, she was definitely on the side of Uncle Li Dong and Qing Chen.
Even if it wasn't for the sake of obtaining the Knight inheritance, Uncle Li Dong was her blood-related seventh uncle.
In fact, many people didn't know that the Head of the Li Family was fond of Li Yinuo, partly because Uncle Li Dong had liked Li Yinuo's temperament since she was young.
So, at this moment, she intentionally or unintentionally moved closer to those soldiers from the combat unit, looking every bit the insider she was supposed to be. If the young man needed her help to eliminate these obstacles, she would act promptly.
This was a manifestation of professional integrity as an insider: securing advantageous terrain in advance!
However, after those four soldiers disappeared, there was no more noise, no one was spying in the woods, and no more attacks occurred, as if the events before never happened.
Qing Huai grew anxious. He looked towards Li Yinuo, "The Taboo Land is still too dangerous, let's head north now. We have marked our current position on the tactical map, it's only a five-hour journey to the north to get out of the Taboo Land!"
Upon hearing his confident words and learning that only five hours would free them, everyone's spirit was visibly lifted: "Then let's set off quickly, what are we waiting for?!"
However, upon hearing this, Li Yinuo immediately voiced her opposition, "I disagree!"
Qing Huai frowned and turned to her, "Why not?!"
Li Yinuo looked around at the pampered children and said, "Do you really think it's that easy to traverse the Taboo Land? Have you all forgotten? Yesterday, we intended to head east, but after one night, we found ourselves going west."
The crowd exchanged looks, and indeed, what Li Yinuo said was true.
Li Yinuo continued, "The Taboo Land is strange; it's very easy to lose your way at night. Now that it's getting dark, we can't just set off rashly."
Qing Huai said coldly, "We are only five hours away from the northern border!"
Li Yinuo retorted, "That's exactly why we need to remain calm. The most dangerous part of walking on a tightrope is the last three steps. We have threats around us now, so we should be starting a bonfire and staying grouped for defense, not traveling through the night."
"And," Li Yinuo said expressionlessly, "I don't trust you."
"You don't trust me?" Qing Huai was taken aback, "On what basis do you not trust me?"
"You know very well," Li Yinuo sneered, "I guess you didn't complete the mission at all but encountered a very dangerous situation and had to terminate it. I know you came here to find the Taboo item ACE-003 'Snake of Trickery.' If you want to refute me, show the Taboo item to prove it."
At this point, Qing Huai fell silent.
Because Li Yinuo had hit the nail on the head!
Moreover, the first task for all the candidates involved in the Shadow competition was to find a specific Taboo item.
During the first round of selection, no candidate was allowed to carry a Taboo item for assistance; after the selection, whatever Taboo items they found became their own property and didn't need to be turned in.
Qing Huai took a deep breath. He knew that some pampered children would definitely follow him if he incited them now, but Wang Bingxu would certainly not go with him!
He needed this B-Class Expert by his side!
At this moment, Qing Huai still didn't know that Li Yinuo had become an insider.
And Li Yinuo's opposition was simply because she was meant to oppose everything Qing Huai proposed, to assist Qing Chen.
This was a manifestation of professional integrity as an insider!
Thus, the group was at a stalemate, everyone pondering Li Yinuo's words while observing Qing Huai's reactions.
It didn't take long for everyone to realize that Qing Huai really couldn't produce the ACE-003 Taboo item 'Snake of Trickery,' so he had indeed been lying before!
Qing Huai sneered at Li Yinuo, "I had heard that the eldest princess of the third generation of the Li family was brave but meticulous, and today I see it's true."
"There's no need for such impotent fury," Li Yinuo said calmly, "I now suspect that you have led some dangerous entity here, and that's why you gave up on the mission. I ask you to leave the Autumn Hunting Team, and we must keep our distance."
However, just at this moment, a figure stumbled out from the woods, loudly calling for help, "Save me! Save me!"
The cry for help broke the deadlock, and everyone turned to look, only to discover it was the field soldier who had just gone missing!
The man was covered in blood, with cuts on both his legs and arms, and his once tidy combat uniform was now tattered and full of holes.
The platoon leader hurried over, "Wang Qiang, what happened, where are the others?!"
However, before the platoon leader could get there, he was blocked by Qing Huai raising his right hand.
All Qing Huai said, emotionless, was, "Stand still, lift your face!"
Wang Qiang stopped in his tracks, pleading, "Officer, save me!"
Qing Huai said to the others, "This Taboo Land is very strange. Send someone to check him, see if he's really still alive."
A soldier who was on good terms with Wang Qiang ran over, checked his pulse, pupils, and heartbeat, "Reporting to the officer, he's still alive, please give him medical treatment."
"Hmm," Qing Huai nodded indifferently, "First give him treatment, check his injuries."
Someone took out a medical kit and approached, while the platoon leader asked, "Wang Qiang, what exactly happened, where are the others?"
Wang Qiang spoke weakly and softly, "We were originally digging holes, but suddenly someone attacked from behind, dragging us into the woods..."
His condition was getting weaker and weaker, his voice getting softer and softer, so soft that one had to be close to hear clearly.
Qing Huai involuntarily took two steps forward.
But the next moment, the situation drastically changed!
The previously weak Wang Qiang suddenly surged up, pushed away the soldier beside him, and drew a dagger tucked in his combat boots.
He violently lunged at Qing Huai with the dagger!
Qing Huai sneered. He had been prepared for such a situation.
Before Wang Qiang's dagger could reach him, his own had already preemptively struck towards Wang Qiang's abdomen.
Qing Huai planned to repel Wang Qiang and then have the platoon leader take control of him for questioning. Find more chapters on empire
But an even more unexpected twist occurred, as Wang Qiang, seeing the incoming dagger, didn't dodge, but instead accelerated, as if exhausting all his life force, to collide with Qing Huai's blade.
In an instant, even though Qing Huai had swiftly reduced his strength, his dagger had already sliced into the space between Wang Qiang's chest and abdomen.
The already heavily wounded Wang Qiang couldn't hold on any longer and slowly fell to the ground.
Everyone was stunned by the two twists, completely unaware of what had happened.
Before they could react, Qing Huai suddenly, without a word, sprinted northward!
On the way, vines suddenly rose from the accumulated decayed leaves, trying to tightly entangle Qing Huai.
But Qing Huai simply struck hard, tearing all the vines apart!
In just a few seconds, the power and speed Qing Huai displayed were extraordinarily astonishing.
Wang Bingxu said softly, "Miss Yino, this Qing Huai is actually a hidden C-Class, and he's at the top tier of C-Class."
Li Yinuo nodded, she had noticed it too, "He must know now that he's triggered a rule, planning to use his strength to battle through and get out of the edge of the Taboo Land."
"Impossible," Wang Bingxu shook his head, "Even if this is the edge of the Taboo Land, you can't just force your way through the rules without being B-Class."
But Qing Huai had to make a run for it because the longer he stayed in the Taboo Land, the greater the danger grew every second.